This time of the year always brings out the dreamer in me, and a few years ago I found myself sitting up alone ‘til the early morning hours of a cold December night, penning a song that I loved and always will. Now, I am pleased to report that “Be My Valentine (On Christmas)” has been placed on the Spotify curated playlist, Acoustic Christmas, again this year and is making headway fast at about 10,000 streams a day with those numbers rising as we approach Christmas.

“Valentine” is currently at 1,175,000 Spotify streams—and was released by Seattle Indie artists Depressica and Patio, which I hope will be the beginning of a trend as I’d love to hear this special song rendered in unique ways by diverse artists. I always believed this was “the little song that could,” and I’m so happy to hear that people everywhere from Mexico City to New York City, Seattle to Hamburg, Chicago and Minneapolis to Singapore and Taipei are listening.

I am wishing everyone everywhere all the best of this holiday season and precious moments that will become cherished memories through the years.

Sincerely,

Glenna Bell

"BE MY VALENTINE (ON CHRISTMAS)" reached a million streams on Spotify on Christmas Day 2016 and HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE PERMANENT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST, "ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS!"LOOK AND LISTEN for this modern Christmas classic this holiday season along with "Christmas Is Coming," the new original from the album, Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas - 2016!

"Be My Valentine (On Christmas)" has also been released for the 2016 and 2017 season by the Seattle-based indie artists, Depressica and Patio. Featuring Jessica Mayuga and Lucas Cathey, with tags “alternative bedroom recordings christmas diy emo holiday lo-fi sad girl seattle,” it appears that they are making headway on the West Coast music scene and beyond! I hope that you enjoy this little playlist from these young people in Seattle:

The song writing on the new album is of the highest quality, with sharp, observant lyrics, fine melodies and a few off-beat touches. – Paul Riley, Country Music People -5-Stars (England)

Lone Star is as welcome as a rainstorm in West Texas in August… or as welcome as truth and beauty at any time here in New York City . . . Glenna Bell is a gift for sure, and a gift to be shared. – Greg Victor, Parcbench.live

Most modern country artists have no idea what being ‘country’ means . . . Glenna knows . . . Listening to Lone Star is an experience I recommend very highly. – Rock Doctor Music Reviews, John Kereiff

Wild, deep stuff firmly in the literary tradition with no dust on it, here's a shining reason of why they love her so much. – Chris Spector, Midwest Record Entertainment: Reviews, News, and Views (Chicago)

I hung on every word. – Robert K. Oermann, Music Row (Nashville)

Bell’s music is intelligent, unique, and provocative. Grab yourself a glass of wine, find a quiet spot and listen up.

– Jim Hynes, Elmore Magazine

Y'all come!

AND MORE

announcing Glenna Bell's new cover version of the famous song, “Everybody’s Changing” by the chart-topping English band Keane

Keane's primary songwriter, Tim Rice-Oxley posted the comment, below, on Glenna Bell’s version of “Everybody’s Changing” on the keanemusic.com home page in sync with the international release of the band's Greatest Hits album (November 3, 2013). (Subsequently, Timperformed a moving rendition of the song, backing Glenna on piano and harmonium on her album, Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas - 2016.)

"We had an evening off in Houston, TX back in January, so I sought out a tiny bar I'd heard of called La Carafe. It's the oldest bar in Houston, so they say. There were a few people taking turns playing guitars and singing songs, and last on was a brilliant singer-songwriter called Glenna Bell. Glenna and I got talking (she took an interest in my copy of John Fowles' The Magus), she came to our show the following night, and we have stayed in touch ever since.

Anyway, Glenna recently recorded a cover of Everybody's Changing which I think is absolutely stunning - possibly my favourite ever cover of a Keane song. You can hear it on herwebsite or download it from iTunes. I feel like Glenna's reading brings out the passion and spirit of the song beautifully, and I love hearing the song stripped back and enriched by the country warmth of Glenna's resonant Texan tones. (She also does a mean cover of Watch How You Go!)."

On May 15, 2007, State Representative Jessica Farrar and the Texas House of Representatives honored the music ofnative East Texan singer-songwriter Glenna Bell with the following House Resolution, which was read during a ceremony in Austin at the State Capitol on the Floor of the House. House Speaker Tom Craddick was in attendance, and personally congratulated Miss Bell for her musical contributions to the Lone Star State:

H.R. No. 1304 R E S O L U T ION

WHEREAS, A talented singer and songwriter, Beaumont native Glenna Bell is drawing attention for her stark yet beautiful songs that conjure up the heartfelt essence of traditional country music while expressing a fresh, contemporary perspective; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Bell has recorded three albums to date, Nobody's Girl, which appeared in 1998, Face This World, from 2005, and The Road Less Traveled, which is scheduled to appear in 2008; each features her haunting songs that present tales of heartache, love, and loss in a stripped down and powerful style; and

WHEREAS, Glenna Bell's music is colored by the sounds that she grew up with in East Texas: a cappella hymns sung in her family's church and old-school country music that she discovered in her relatives' record collections; with the help of veteran Texas musicians such as John Evans, who has produced Ms. Bell's last two albums, and Johnny Bush, who sings on The Road Less Traveled, Glenna Bell has distilled her influences into moving songs that are receiving airplay on country and Americana radio stations across the country; and

WHEREAS, Carrying forward the classic, unembellished style that has graced so much great music from Texas, Glenna Bell has emerged as a musician and storyteller of great promise and stands as an exciting addition to the musical tradition of the Lone Star State;

Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby honor Glenna Bell for her musical accomplishments and extend to her best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Ms. Bell as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

I certify that H.R. No. 1304 was adopted by the House on April 13, 2007, by a non-record vote. -- Chief Clerk of the House *****************************************************************

Recorded in four acts at studios on the East Coast, Austin and Houston, Texas, Perfectly Legal: Songs of Sex, Love and Murder unfolds as a musical and theatrical journey through a series of stripped-down songs that document the seldom-told stories of a real woman living a real life at the turn of the twenty-first century. The themes are both contemporary and timeless, ranging from Bell's comical, foot-stomping, hand-clapping, beat-driven romp, "The Cougar Anthem," to her banjo-infused rollick down bluegrass lane, “Big Kev,” to her tragic dirge, "The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz." The covers include a first-person, barrel-house version of the American folk classic, "Frankie and Johnny," that takes Bell back to her roots in the deep east Texas woods of the Big Thicket, along with her stark vocal rendition of Sam Cooke’s 1963 hit, "Lost and Lookin,'" on which she steps back in time to the a cappella church singing that she remembers from her childhood in the Golden Triangle, the tiny east Texas enclave that produced two of the most influential vocalists of the twentieth century: Janis Joplin and George Jones. Bell’s stone-cold country duet take on the Clint Eastwood movie theme song, “Honky Tonk Man,” also offers something for those who love traditional country music, a territory with which Bell is intimately familiar, having grown up in the east Texas lumber towns of Pineland and Lumberton, where she rode in rodeos and lived the real country life before heading to Los Angeles to become a theater critic and eventually a playwright who studied with Edward Albee at the University of Houston’s exclusive Creative Writing Program. On all of the tracks, the production is spare, emphasizing Bell's distinctive vocals and the songs’ well-written lyrics. Perfectly Legal will appeal to those who enjoy minimalist theater (Strindberg, Brecht, Beckett), as well as anyone who has fallen in love with Songs of the South (the Alan Lomax collection of American folk songs recorded in the field in the 1950s), plus those who appreciate the visual arts, literature, storytelling, and history.

OTHER ALBUMS by GLENNA BELL:

Listen to songs for FREE, andBuy Glenna Bell's music

at the links, below:

The Road Less Traveled (2008) was recorded at historic Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas by Steve Christensen, who engineered Steve Earle's Grammy-winning tribute to Townes Van Zandt entitled "Townes" in 2009. The Road Less Traveled was produced by Texas music sensation, John Evans (the Smith Group), and features an original Glenna Bell duet with Johnny Bush, who wrote "Whisky River" (a song best remembered as recorded by his long-time friend, Willie Nelson), as well as backup vocals by John Pickering of the vocal group, The Picks, who recorded the three-part harmonies on a number of famous Buddy Holly songs, and steel guitar by Herb Remington who was a member of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.

Face This World (2005) was recorded at historic Sugar Hill Studios in Houston, Texas by Steve Christensen, who engineered Steve Earle's Grammy-winning tribute to Townes Van Zandt entitled "Townes" in 2009. Face This World features two duets with its producer, Texas music sensation, John Evans (the Smith Group), as well as backing guitar by Chris Masterson, whose credits include Son Volt, Bobby Bare, Jr., Hank Williams, III, and Jack Ingram.

March 2018: Austin: March 15 @ 3 p.m. at Opa! on South Lamar . . . Houston: March 20 @ 9 p.m. at La Carafe on the Downtown Market Square . . . Sign up for the monthly newsletter in the top, left for details and more news. Y'all come!

February 2018: Houston and Austin shows on the horizon. Will post soon. Sign up for the monthly newsletter in the top, left. Y'all come!

January 2018: Happy New Year, Everybody! Sign up in the top, left for announcements and updates on the new album and more. Y'all come!

December 2017: "Be My Valentine (On Christmas)" is on the Spotify curated Acoustic Christmas playlist again this season! Look and Listen for this modern holiday classic, along with "Christmas Is Coming" from the 2016 release, Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas. Sign up for announcements and updates in the top, left and . . . Y'all come!

November 2017: Houston shows and holidays on the horizon. Listen for "Be My Valentine (On Christmas)" on Spotify this holiday season. Sign up the the newsletter in the top, left for updates on the new album and more. Y'all come!

October 2017:Hurricane Harvey threw us a curve ball -- we are rescheduling production of the new album, which was set to begin in Houston on August 28! Sign up for the newsletter in the top, left for recording updates and more. Y'all come!

September 2017: Harvey hits Houston! Work on the new album is temporarily postponed . . . Sign up for updates in the top, left. Y'all come!

AUGUST 2017: We will begin recording the new album at the end of this month! Sign up for the newsletter in the top left for occasional updates and announcements on this project and more. Y'all come!

July 2017: HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, EVERYBODY!

June 2017: Happy Juneteenth! Let's celebrate freedom for all. Houston Shows + More. Sign up for the newsletter in the top, left to receive occasional announcements. Y'all come!

May 2017: A new music video is in production, filmed on location in Houston, Texas with the French-Canadian artist-director, Natali Leduc! Sign up for the newsletter in the top, left to receive announcements. Y'all come!

April 2017: Beginning Work on The New Album! Sign up for the newsletter (top left) for updates. Y'all come!

March 2017: See Glenna Bell live in Austin in March at the eighth annual "Big Kev Roots, Rock Revolution Radiothon" during SXSW at Opah! on South Lamar at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 16!

Featuring Jessica Mayuga and Lucas Cathey, with tags “alternative bedroom recordings christmas diy emo holiday lo-fi sad girl seattle,” it appears that they are making headway on the West Coast music scene and beyond. I hope that you enjoy this little playlist from these young people in Seattle:

December 2016: "BE MY VALENTINE (ON CHRISTMAS)" HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE PERMANENT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST, "ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS!"LOOK AND LISTEN for this modern Christmas classic during the 2016-2017 holiday season along with "Christmas Is Coming," the new original from Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas!

October 2016: Look for features and reviews in Country Music People (England) and The Big Takeover Magazine (New York City) this month. Join the insider crowd and see Glenna perform rare, exclusive live appearances by signing up for the monthly newsletter in the top, left. Inquire about limited edition, autographed vinyl and CD versions of the new album, Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas. Read the reviews at glennabell.com. Y'all come!

September 2016:More Houston shows on the horizon. Sign up for the monthly newsletter in the top, left. Y'all come!

August 2016:Downtown Houston shows this month. Check out the calendar page. Sign up for the monthly newsletter in the top, left. Y'all come!

July 2016:Happy Independence Day, Everybody!

June 2016:The first week of June, Lone Star made #67 on the AMA chart and #19 on the Freeform American Roots Radio chart! Vinyl is here! Sign up for the newsletter in the top, left corner to place your order now. Y'all come!

May 2016: The new album is making a strong start with a five-star review from England, stellar reviews from Germany and the Netherlands, New York, Chicago and more. To be posted soon. Vinyl is on the way. Sign up for the newsletter in the top, left corner to receive occasional announcements about all this and more. Y'all come!

April 2016:The new album, Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas, will be released this month on April 15th! There will be a video premier on the Elmore Magazine web site and some special shows. Sign up at the link in the top, left corner to receive exclusive updates. Y'all come!

March 2016:GREAT NEWS! "Be My Valentine (On Christmas)" made over half a million streams via Spotify during December 2015! AND 194,000 Spotify streams for the 2014 holiday--that's about 700,000 streams in two consecutive seasons! Let's celebrate. Y'all come!

February 2016: The new album, Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas is set for release in April on both CD, download, stream, and VINYL! Signed, pre-release copies of the CD are available. Please sign up for updates by clicking the icon in the top, left margin of this page!

January 2016: Happy New Year, Everybody Everywhere! CD's are here. Vinyl is on the way. I am hosting release parties in Houston, New York, and Austin. Sign up for the newsletter in the top, left for occasional updates on my new album, Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas.

November 2015: November is here and so is the new pre-release holiday single, Christmas Is Coming! Check it out online for digital download and streaming. The art work is beautiful! It is by the talented French-Canadian artist, Natali Leduc. The album will be released this coming Spring. To receive occasional updates on all of this and more, sign up for bi-monthly music newsletter in the top, left corner. Y'all come!

September 2015: September marks yet another milestone. The new album is being mastered by Fred Kevorkian at Kevorkian Mastering, Inc. in NYC! We are "getting close." Sign up for the newsletter in the top left for occasional updates on the forthcoming release, which now has a name--Lone Star: Songs and Stories Straight from the Heart of Texas!

August 2015: August 4 is an exciting day! The new album is going to mixing in Austin with George Reiff at The Finishing School! Sign up for the newsletter in the top left for bi-monthly updates on the forthcoming release in 2016!

July 2015: Houston Shows . . . Photography Shoot . . . Album in Progress . . . New Christmas Single and Video in the Works. Sign up for the newsletter in the top left to receive occasional updates. Y'all come!

June 2015: Sign up for the newsletter, top left, to receive announcements on the progress of the new album! We are recording in Austin this month!

May 2015: Houston shows! Check the calendar page. Finishing the new album in Austin at month's end! Will soon be announcing some very exciting news. Don't miss it. Sign up for monthly/bi-monthly updates in the top, left. Y'all come!

April 2015: More shows. More recording. Finishing the new album! Sign up for updates in the top, left. Y'all come!

March 2015: Sign up to find out about live shows in Austin and Houston in March (top left) and a stage play debut, featuring Glenna Bell's "Shiner Bock & ZZ Top." Y'all come!

February 2015: Gearing up for Austin in March. Music Video Screening in Houston. Sign up for the newsletter in the top left for show announcements and more. Check the calendar page. Y'all come!

January 2015: Happy New Year, Everybody! Houston Shows This Month. Check the Calendar Page. Sign up for the newsletter. Y'all come!

December 2014: Holiday shows in Houston and the Dallas/Denton area. Check the calendar page and sign up for the newsletter in the top, left. Y'all come!

November 2014: Shooting a New Video this Month! Canadian Director, on Location in Houston! Live shows on hold while completing the new album. Sign up for special announcements in the top, left. Y'all come!

October 2014: The new album is sounding great! A new video is in the works. There is a live show in Houston. Sign up for updates in the top, left corner of this page. Y'all come!

September 2014: Happy Labor Day! Check out the calendar page for shows in Nashville and Houston this month. Sign up for the monthly newsletter in the top, left corner. Y'all come!

August 2014: Houston shows this month, Nashville in September. New album in progress. Sign up for the newsletter (top, left) and check the calendar page for dates and details. Y'all come!

July 2014: Happy Independence Day, Everybody! Exciting news!! On July 24 I'll be making my Blues singing debut at the Gypysy Lounge on East 6th Street in Austin with the high-energy Nashville-based touring band, Scissormen! Also, work is in progress on the new album. Will be in session at historic Sugar Hill Studios in Houston mid-month on the heels of a magical, late-June recording experience in NJ/NYC that you can read about on the "News" page here at glennabell.com. More shows in Houston and Nashville on the horizon. Check out the calendar page. Sign up for the music newsletter (top, left). And y'all come!

June 2014: Appearances in NYC/NY and PA and Houston . . . More recording at historic Sugar Hill Studios . . . Check out the calendar page and sign up for the newsletter, top left. Y'all come!

May 2014: Hosting in Houston, recording at historic Sugar Hill Studios, and planning a New York tour with honky-tonk troubador, Billy Eli from Austin! Check out the calendar page, sign up for the newsletter (top, left), and y'all come!

April 2014: Check out the amazing new video of Glenna Bell by Natali Leduc:

March 2014: I'm hosting and headlining a showcase in the heart of Austin on March 13 during SXSW. Many of you will be in town for the biggest music gathering in the world, so check my calendar page for details and write down "Thursday, March 13 from 1-5 p.m. at Opa! (South Lamar @ Oltorf by the Horseshoe Lounge) -- Glenna Bell's Stories Straight from Texas Showcase" right now while you're thinking about it. It's going to be a great big crazy Texas time! Y'all come!

February 2014: Texas shows in February and March and a couple in New Jersey and New York. Album in progress. New songs on the way . . . new band! Check out the calendar page, and sign up for updates in the top left corner.

January 2014: Happy New Year, Everybody! Lots of exciting things on the horizon. Getting ready to host a showcase at SXSW in March. Check out the calendar page and sign up for occasional updates in the top, left hand corner. Y'all come!

December 2013: Stay tuned to preview "Christmas is Coming: A Modern Classic by Glenna Bell" to be released in time for Christmas 2014. Sign up for the Glenna Bell newsletter in the top right hand corner of this page for monthly updates on the new album in progress, live shows, radio programs, reviews, news and more!

November 2013: Big Anniversary Showcase at La Carafe in downtown Houston. Check the calendar page! Plus more recording at Sugar Hill Studios. A very exciting project is in the works!

October 2013: More recording time scheduled at Sugar Hill Studios, Houston. Sign up for occasional updates and exclusive announcements in the top, left corner. Stay tuned . . . Y'all come!

September 2013: Happy Labor Day! We hope to see you at La Carafe in Houston on the 3rd. Check out the details on the calendar page. Stay tuned for more new recordings. Thanks to everybody who's been signing up for the newsletter, coming to shows, and buying music! See you soon. Y'all come!

August 2013: Glenna will be recording at historic Sugar Hill Studios in Houston and making some special appearances. Sign up for the newsletter (scroll up, top left) to receive invitations to exclusive events, and check the calendar page for shows open to the public.

July 2013: Happy Independence Day, Everybody!

June 2013: Glenna will be spending part of June working on new recordings with Big Kev Ploghoft (East Coast Deejay) in Houston and More . . .

May 2013: Glenna will be recording in Austin this month and next month with some selective performances in Austin and Houston, so keep an eye on the calendar page and sign up for the newsletter to receive announcements. Thanks to everyone everywhere who's been buying music and coming out to the shows!

April 2013: Check out Glenna in the Kinky Friedman and Friends showcase hosted by Rowdy Tijmes at the Big Kev Radiothon in Austin during SXSW!

March 2013: See Glenna in Austin during SXSW! Check the calendar page for details.

More good news! A heartfelt thanks to everybody who wrote in to the Cactus Music store poll in Houston, Texas and nominated songs for the first ever community-curated play list. “Shiner Bock & ZZ Top” came in at #11 of eighty songs by an impressive array of artists, including Steve Earle, Eric Johnson, and Rodney Crowell in the top ten and Archie Bell, the Charlie Daniels Band, Townes Van Zandt, Hayes Carll, ZZ Top (of course!), Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Talking Heads, and the late, great Lightnin’ Hopkins to name just a few in the #12-80 slots. You might appreciate this enlightening glance at a diverse lineup of songs and artists that were selected to represent Houston:

September 2012: We're gearing up for Houston shows and shows in Nashville. Please check the calendar page periodically, and sign up for the Glenna Bell Monthly Newsletter in the top left corner of the home page (above) to receive announcements and other news.

August 2012:NPR featured Glenna's song, The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz from her current release, Perfectly Legal: Songs of Sex, Love and Murder!

JULY 2012: Thanks, Everybody, for nominating Glenna for another annual Houston Press Music Award! Please vote at this link: Houston Press Music Awards

June/July 2012:Check the calendar page for more Houston shows!

May 2012: Peruse the Cowboylands blog for an interesting analysis of movie heroes, based on a recent UCLA study that found people holding guns look bigger. There's an unexpected reference to Glenna Bell's song, The Southern Gothic Wedding Waltz, that has made its way into this well written piece! It's a good, quick read:

February 2012:Houston shows in February . . . Nashville and Austin in March . . . Visit the calendar page, and y'all come!

January 2012: Pick up a copy of the Houston Chronicle for a New Year's preview in Joey Guerra’s “Houston Bands Gear Up for a Busy 2012.” If you’re not in Houston, you can check it out online at this link:

January 2011: There's a 4-star review of Perfectly Legal in the new issue of Icon Magazine, distributed in SW New Jersey and SE Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia.

December 23, 2010: Perfectly Legal was a Houston Chronicle top local album pick of 2010: Houston Chronicle

November 9, 2010: USA Today included The Cougar Anthem on this week’s recommended play list! Click the link below to find out who else was in the “top ten.” You might be surprised: USA Today Top Ten Pick

September 2010: Glenna recorded live at the Ryman, home of the original Grand Ol' Opry!

August 2010: "La Casa Que Yo Amo" (The Road Less Traveled, 2008) is featured in the independent film, Playing House, a UV Lite Production shot in Los Angeles. The movie is a thriller, directed and co-written by Tom<